Selling Deer Hides

November 12, 2015

Question: I’m a hide tanner and recently asked a butcher about getting deer hides from him. He was worried about giving them to me because he seemed to think that I would need to have a deer tag for every deer hide. Can you tell me what the legalities are concerning deer hides? I would like to make use of the hides that are being thrown away. Also, do you know of any deer hide sources for me? (David C.)

Answer: It is legal to buy and sell (or gift) lawfully taken deer hides (FGC, section 4303). The person receiving the hides is not required to have a hunting license or tag. However, it’s a good idea for both parties involved to keep records of the transactions to protect against false accusations that the hides were acquired illegally.